HOME OFFICE News
Release (068/2007) issued by The Government News Network on 2 April 2007
The Government
today launches a consultation that will seek to tighten
legislation on computer generated child abuse images.
Under current law it is an offence to possess indecent
photographs and pseudo-photographs of children. However, it is not
currently illegal to possess computer generated images, animation,
cartoons, and drawings depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Evidence from police and children's organisations is that
the availability of such images is growing. These images are often
uncovered alongside illegal photographs, but are in themselves
legal to possess.
Technology has advanced to the point where photographs of real
children being abused can be manipulated into a format that is
currently legal to possess. So it is possible to create a
'fantasy' style record of an actual event of abuse.
These explicit images, sometimes in a format depicting
cartoon-like characters, could also be used by offenders to
'groom' children for acts of abuse.
At the moment police cannot prosecute, confiscate or remove them
from circulation - a situation the Government finds unacceptable.
The Government's preferred option is to create a new offence
with a penalty of three years in prison and an unlimited fine.
This will place the offence in the sentencing framework below
offences for possessing actual photographs of child sexual abuse.
The Home Secretary, John Reid, said:
"The Government is determined to do all we can to protect
children from abuse. Sexual crimes against children are vile and
devastating for the victims.
"Rapid technological advancements in the past decade have
brought many benefits, but also threats. The ease with which
images can be circulated or altered brings fresh challenges in
combating the availability of child sex abuse images. It's
critical that the law stays one-step ahead and nowhere is this
more important than protecting children from harm."
Minister for Justice in the Scottish Executive, Cathy Jamieson,
said: "Most modern technology is used in a positive way to
enhance our lives. However there are individuals who seek to
exploit it for their own evil purposes or gain.
"In particular, I am aware of concerns about the growing
market for fantasy imagines, cartoons and drawings - such as those
which could be produced on a computer, depicting child sexual
abuse. Images - which unlike pornographic photographs - would not
currently be covered by law and could now be easily circulated via
the internet or mobile phones. "It's only right that as
technology progresses that we ensure the law also moves forward to
maximise protection for our young people from those who may seek
to exploit them or cause them harm. This consultation is designed
to ensure we achieve that and I would encourage all those in
Scotland with views on how best we can improve the law, to respond."
During the consultation, careful consideration will be given to
the threshold content of the images to ensure that legitimate
works of art or items of historical interest are not included.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. A copy of the Consultation on Possession of Non-Photographic
Visual Depictions of Child Sexual Abuse can be downloaded from: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/haveyoursay/current-consultations/
2. The consultation is joint between England and Wales, Scotland
and Northern Ireland.
3. The consultation will look at three options:
* amend the Protection of Children Act 1978
* create a new stand alone offence for England and Wales,
Northern Ireland and Scotland of possession of any
non-photographic visual indecency
* do nothing